the financier-第7节

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〃Well；〃　said　Henry　Waterman；　when　he　reported；　〃you　did　that　quick。　Sold　old　Genderman　two　hundred　barrels　direct；　did　you？　That's　doing　pretty　well。　　He　isn't　on　our　books；　is　he？〃

〃No；　sir。〃

〃I　thought　not。　　Well；　if　you　can　do　that　sort　of　work　on　the　street　you　won't　be　on　the　books　long。〃

Thereafter；　in　the　course　of　time；　Frank　became　a　familiar　figure　in　the　commission　district　and　on　'change　（the　Produce　Exchange）；　striking　balances　for　his　employer；　picking　up　odd　lots　of　things　they　needed；　soliciting　new　customers；　breaking　gluts　by　disposing　of　odd　lots　in　unexpected　quarters。　　Indeed　the　Watermans　were　astonished　at　his　facility　in　this　respect。　　He　had　an　uncanny　faculty　for　getting　appreciative　hearings；　making　friends；　being　introduced　into　new　realms。　　New　life　began　to　flow　through　the　old　channels　of　the　Waterman　company。　　Their　customers　were　better　satisfied。　　George　was　for　sending　him　out　into　the　rural　districts　to　drum　up　trade；　and　this　was　eventually　done。

Near　Christmas…time　Henry　said　to　George：　〃We'll　have　to　make　Cowperwood　a　liberal　present。　　He　hasn't　any　salary。　　How　would　five　hundred　dollars　do？〃

〃That's　pretty　much；　seeing　the　way　times　are；　but　I　guess　he's　worth　it。　　He's　certainly　done　everything　we've　expected；　and　more。　He's　cut　out　for　this　business。〃

〃What　does　he　say　about　it？　Do　you　ever　hear　him　say　whether　he's　satisfied？〃

〃Oh；　he　likes　it　pretty　much；　I　guess。　　You　see　him　as　much　as　I　do。〃

〃Well；　we'll　make　it　five　hundred。　　That　fellow　wouldn't　make　a　bad　partner　in　this　business　some　day。　　He　has　the　real　knack　for　it。　　You　see　that　he　gets　the　five　hundred　dollars　with　a　word　from　both　of　us。〃

So　the　night　before　Christmas；　as　Cowperwood　was　looking　over　some　way…bills　and　certificates　of　consignment　preparatory　to　leaving　all　in　order　for　the　intervening　holiday；　George　Waterman　came　to　his　desk。

〃Hard　at　it；〃　he　said；　standing　under　the　flaring　gaslight　and　looking　at　his　brisk　employee　with　great　satisfaction。

It　was　early　evening；　and　the　snow　was　making　a　speckled　pattern　through　the　windows　in　front。

〃Just　a　few　points　before　I　wind　up；〃　smiled　Cowperwood。

〃My　brother　and　I　have　been　especially　pleased　with　the　way　you　have　handled　the　work　here　during　the　past　six　months。　　We　wanted　to　make　some　acknowledgment；　and　we　thought　about　five　hundred　dollars　would　be　right。　　Beginning　January　first　we'll　give　you　a　regular　salary　of　thirty　dollars　a　week。〃

〃I'm　certainly　much　obliged　to　you；〃　said　Frank。　　〃I　didn't　expect　that　much。　　It's　a　good　deal。　　I've　learned　considerable　here　that　I'm　glad　to　know。〃

〃Oh；　don't　mention　it。　　We　know　you've　earned　it。　　You　can　stay　with　us　as　long　as　you　like。　　We're　glad　to　have　you　with　us。〃

Cowperwood　smiled　his　hearty；　genial　smile。　　He　was　feeling　very　comfortable　under　this　evidence　of　approval。　　He　looked　bright　and　cheery　in　his　well…made　clothes　of　English　tweed。

On　the　way　home　that　evening　he　speculated　as　to　the　nature　of　this　business。　　He　knew　he　wasn't　going　to　stay　there　long；　even　in　spite　of　this　gift　and　promise　of　salary。　　They　were　grateful；　of　course；　but　why　shouldn't　they　be？　He　was　efficient；　he　knew　that；　under　him　things　moved　smoothly。　　It　never　occurred　to　him　that　he　belonged　in　the　realm　of　clerkdom。　　Those　people　were　the　kind　of　beings　who　ought　to　work　for　him；　and　who　would。　　There　was　nothing　savage　in　his　attitude；　no　rage　against　fate；　no　dark　fear　of　failure。　　These　two　men　he　worked　for　were　already　nothing　more　than　characters　in　his　eyestheir　business　significated　itself。　　He　could　see　their　weaknesses　and　their　shortcomings　as　a　much　older　man　might　have　viewed　a　boy's。

After　dinner　that　evening；　before　leaving　to　call　on　his　girl；　Marjorie　Stafford；　he　told　his　father　of　the　gift　of　five　hundred　dollars　and　the　promised　salary。

〃That's　splendid；〃　said　the　older　man。　　〃You're　doing　better　than　I　thought。　　I　suppose　you'll　stay　there。〃

〃No；　I　won't。　　I　think　I'll　quit　sometime　next　year。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Well；　it　isn't　exactly　what　I　want　to　do。　　It's　all　right；　but　I'd　rather　try　my　hand　at　brokerage；　I　think。　　That　appeals　to　me。〃

〃Don't　you　think　you　are　doing　them　an　injustice　not　to　tell　them？〃

〃Not　at　all。　　They　need　me。〃　　All　the　while　surveying　himself　in　a　mirror；　straightening　his　tie　and　adjusting　his　coat。

〃Have　you　told　your　mother？〃

〃No。　　I'm　going　to　do　it　now。〃

He　went　out　into　the　dining…room；　where　his　mother　was；　and　slipping　his　arms　around　her　little　body；　said：　〃What　do　you　think；　Mammy？〃

〃Well；　what？〃　she　asked；　looking　affectionately　into　his　eyes。

〃I　got　five　hundred　dollars　to…night；　and　I　get　thirty　a　week　next　year。　　What　do　you　want　for　Christmas？〃

〃You　don't　say！　Isn't　that　nice！　Isn't　that　fine！　They　must　like　you。　　You're　getting　to　be　quite　a　man；　aren't　you？〃

〃What　do　you　want　for　Christmas？〃

〃Nothing。　　I　don't　want　anything。　　I　have　my　children。〃

He　smiled。　　〃All　right。　　Then　nothing　it　is。〃

But　she　knew　he　would　buy　her　something。

He　went　out；　pausing　at　the　door　to　grab　playfully　at　his　sister's　waist；　and　saying　that　he'd　be　back　about　midnight；　hurried　to　Marjorie's　house；　because　he　had　promised　to　take　her　to　a　show。

〃Anything　you　want　for　Christmas　this　year；　Margy？〃　he　asked；　after　kissing　her　in　the　dimly…lighted　hall。　　〃I　got　five　hundred　to…night。〃

She　was　an　innocent　little　thing；　only　fifteen；　no　guile；　no　shrewdness。

〃Oh；　you　needn't　get　me　anything。〃

〃Needn't　I？〃　he　asked；　squeezing　her　waist　and　kissing　her　mouth　again。

It　was　fine　to　be　getting　on　this　way　in　the　world　and　having　such　a　good　time。





Chapter　V




The　following　October；　having　passed　his　eighteenth　year　by　nearly　six　months；　and　feeling　sure　that　he　would　never　want　anything　to　do　with　the　grain　and　commission　business　as　conducted　by　the　Waterman　Company；　Cowperwood　decided　to　sever　his　relations　with　them　and　enter　the　employ　of　Tighe　&　Company；　bankers　and　brokers。

Cowperwood's　meeting　with　Tighe　&　Company　had　come　about　in　the　ordinary　pursuance　of　his　duties　as　outside　man　for　Waterman　&　Company。　　From　the　first　Mr。　Tighe　took　a　keen　interest　in　this　subtle　young　emissary。

〃How's　business　with　you　people？〃　he　would　ask；　genially；　or；　〃Find　that　you're　getting　many　I。O。U。's　these　days？〃

Because　of　the　unsettled　condition　of　the　country；　the　over…inflation　of　securities；　the　slavery　agitation；　and　so　forth；　there　were　prospects　of　hard　times。　　And　Tighehe　could　not　have　told　you　whywas　convinced　that　this　young　man　was　worth　talking　to　in　regard　to　all　this。　　He　was　not　really　old　enough　to　know；　and　yet　he　did　know。

〃Oh；　things　are　going　pretty　well　with　us；　thank　you；　Mr。　Tighe；〃　Cowperwood　would　answer。

〃I　tell　you；〃　he　said　to　Cowperwood　one　morning；　〃this　slavery　agitation；　if　it　doesn't　stop；　is　going　to　cause　trouble。〃

A　negro　slave　belonging　to　a　visitor　from　Cuba　had　just　been　abducted　and　set　free；　because　the　laws　of　Pennsylvania　made　freedom　the　right　of　any　negro　brought　into　the　state；　even　though　in　transit　only　to　another　portion　of　the　country；　and　there　was　great　excitement　because　of　it。　　Several　persons　had　been　arrested；　and　the　newspapers　were　discussing　it　roundly。

〃I　don't　think　the　South　is　going　to　stand　for　this　thing。　　It's　making　trouble　in　our　business；　and　it　must　be　doing　the　same　thing　for　others。　　We'll　have　secession　here；　sure　as　fate；　one　of　these　days。〃　　He　talked　with　the　vaguest　suggestion　of　a　brogue。

〃It's　coming；　I　think；〃　said　Cowperwood；　quietly。　　〃It　can't　be　healed；　in　my　judgment。　　The　negro　isn't　worth　all　this　excitement；　but　they'll　go　on　agitating　for　himemotional　people　always　do　this。　　They　haven't　anything　else　to　do。　　It's　hurting　our　Southern　trade。〃

〃I　thought　so。　That's　what　people　tell　me。〃

He　turned　to　a　new　customer　as　young　Cowperwood　went　out；　but　again　the　boy　struck　him　as　being　inexpressibly　sound　and　deep…thinking　on　financial　matters。　　〃If　that　young　fellow　wanted　a　place；　I'd　give　it　to　him；〃　he　thought。

Finally；　one　day　he　said　to　him：　〃How　would　you　like　to　try　your　hand　at　being　a　floor　man　for　me　in　'change？　I　need　a　young　man　here。　　One　of　my　clerks　is　leaving。〃

〃I'd　like　it；〃　replied　Cowperwood；　smiling　and　looking　intensely　gratified。　　〃I　had　thought　of　speaking　to　you　myself　some　time。〃

〃Well；　if　you're　ready　and　can　make　the　change；　the　place　is　open。　Come　any　time　you　like。〃

〃I'll　have　to　give　a　reasonable　notice　at　the　other　place；〃　Cowperwood　said；　quietly。　　〃Would　you　mind　waiting　a　week　or　two？〃

〃Not　at　all。　　It　isn't　as　important　as　that。　　Come　as　soon　as　you　can　straighten　things　out。　　I　don't　want　to　inconvenience　your　employers。〃

It　was　only　two　weeks　later　that　Frank　took　his　departure　from　Waterman　&　Company；　interested　and　yet　in　no　way　flustered　by　his　new　prospects。　　And　great　was　the　grief　of　Mr。　George　Waterman。　As　for　Mr。　Henry　Waterman；　he　was　actually　irritated　by　this　defection。

〃Why；　I　thought；〃　he　exclaimed；　vigorously；　when　informed　by　Cowperwood　of　his　decision；　〃that　you　liked　the　business。　　Is　it　a　matter　of　salary？〃

〃No；　not　at　all；　Mr。　Waterman。　　It's　just　that　I　want　to　get　into　the　straight…out　brokera